No-frills supermarket Aldi has announced plans to launch a travel website in 2009.

The new website, www.alditravel.co.uk, will initially feature summer sun holidays, but is also looking to sell city breaks and ski holidays.

Aldi says it will offer a wide range of destinations, but will only work with a limited number of suppliers that can guarantee exclusive deals.

Travel deals

Aldi was among the top 10 high street retailers in the most recent Which? shopping survey.

The retailer, which has 400 stores in the UK and 7,000 globally, already sells holidays to customers in Austria, Germany and Switzerland. Aldi says it has already sold a million holidays in Austria since it launched the service there in 2003.

Bargain holidays

Aldi buying director Sarah Butler said: ‘We are not new to travel and we are hoping to replicate the same success in the UK.’

Ms Butler added that the timing of the launch was perfect in the current economic climate.

She said: ‘People are looking for good deal and our motto is “A break you’ll remember at a price you’ll love.” We are thriving in the credit crunch and our sales are up 26%.’

Holiday deals will be featured in a fortnightly leaflet available in Aldi stores and distributed to 900,000 Aldi customers in the UK. They will also appear in Aldi’s special offers brochure available at cashier desks.